Our Great Land — diverse and tolerant, yes!

This country of America, our unique blend, our potpourri-country, is so magnificent! This is especially true for someone like me to discover, having spent so much of my adult life looking for “the ultimate” outside America, and here it is–the most stimulating aspects of life I keep finding right in the land of my birth. This land of ours exemplifies how diverse a single country can be. Recently I traveled to Chile, and that country is also equally diverse as America. But here we are more particularly tolerant with all the many differences of the people who have come to live in America. From the casual, laid-backness of those who emulate the original People of our land, the Native Americans, to those who come to our country and bring their own traditions, even their own religions with them–we in America absorb everyone, embrace All. Out in Moab, Utah there are many who choose to inhabit the Great Western Desert where before, only nomadic or pueblos Indians thrived. While we were out there we met new and old friends, some who showed us well hidden spots where we could soak in the glorious waters that only locals seem to ever know about (thank heavens!) . . .

eons of watery movement creates this ...

water helps create other kinds of movement as well, namely friendship. Water is a common denominator among all earth’s People. We are, in fact, made up of more than 75% water ourselves, so it’s easy to understand why so many of us love to relax and enjoy the fruits of the land:

a sacred spot ... unusual in the midst of such dryness

Carter and I spent a week hiking, biking, splashing, singing and mixing with Desert People—and then whooosh—we hopped on the Great Silver Bird that has made globetrotting so accessible, even in these stressed-out, economically pinched times:

In St. Augustine we picked up our almost-91 year old mom and took off on a road-trip to upstate New York, to deliver Eve to her granddaughter’s multi-ethnic wedding. Taking a break in our travels northward, here are two human goddesses visiting a huge bronze personal friend of lordflea’s in Rock Hill, South Carolina. A hint of what’s to come: the modern-day goddess Civitas, named and created by Audrey Flack ( www.audreyflack.com ). More about Civitas on next post, i promise (mentioned a few posts ago, so you know the story about Civitas is gonna be good!)

stopping off in Rock Hill, S.C. to visit old friend Civitas

From West to South and finally the great Northeast corridor. . . making it to the Canadian border for the intriguing union of a raised-Catholic woman with her Christian-Arab spouse, a new arrival in America from Syria, which was performed in the Antioch Orthodox Church in Lewiston, New York. This was the first time I’d ever even HEARD of this little-known (in America)religion, so it was quite an education.

For those of you interested in the roots of this Christian sect, please google, because its history is complex and i don’t wish to do this ancient (some say “the most ancient” of Christian sects) religion any disservice by talking about it here. I am no expert in such matters (religion). What I AM an expert about (among many things) is the celebration of Spirit in Life! And these two grown individuals certainly did celebrate their sacred union in a most sacred, elegant and traditionally Orthodox-religious way, with friends and families.

walking around the altar to signify they are ONE

People everywhere: out West, South, in the East and up North too–everyone loves water! We are so blessed on planet Earth, which should have been called “Water” because we have WAY more water than earth on this spinning blue globe we thrive upon. Water Water Water everywhere! Around Niagara it’s just the opposite of what it’s like in the Utah desert. Look what they do up on the Niagara River for fun….some say to the detriment of the riverbank’s ecology, but—people can have fun as well as being mindful about conservation. I say let the hydroboats spin and whiz in the whirlpools! wheeeeee!

hydroboats doing the whirlpool

Next time I post for you i’ll explore the meaning and significance of Civitas, the modern-day goddess, and what She signifies to me. Meanwhile, enjoy the day!

Oh yes, one important thing: Congratulations are in order to our friends Frog and Ginny on the astoundingly amazing news! These two dear friends, with whom we adventured in Moab and St. Augustine, and anywhere else we can, anytime! are newly engaged to be married! What a coming-together of perfectly-aligned energy, male and female, these two make!

Froggie and Ginny walking together into the sunset of LIFE--together at LAST!!!

This will be Ginny’s first and Frog’s (hopefully) last. Some of us just take longer to find True Love, right Frog? I too had to look a looooong time before I found my consort Carter.

congratulations to Ginny and Frog!!! Yeah LOVE!!!

the most important thing in life is Love . . . love of our own Inner, Higher Self first, and then,with luck, we find our True Love Mate. Our good wishes to Froggie and Ginny.